The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-28
TURN THE RASCALS OUT.
Rev. McNutt Finds Strong Cause for
Joining in the Popular Cry.
The Sermon Last Evening on the Southern
Prison lnvestigation-The Party in Con-
troll Must Be Held Responsible.

The subject of Rev. G. L. McNutts sermon at
was Human Nature in the Light of the Bible
and the Southern Prison Investigation" His
text was:
Search me. God, and know my heart; try me, and
know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked
way in me.-Psalms cxxxix, %, "a.
He said: ours ia supposed to be civilized
age. and barbaric cruelty is relic of the dark
ages. Orators and essayists vie with one another
IN laudine the glores of the nineteeth century,
civilization, science, art, culture. These are the
watchwords of the day. One can almost be per-
suaded to believe that the dawn of the millen
mum is breaking. A few more reforms wider
culture and there is nothing more to wish for.
lis this dream, or are the confessed
enormites of the southern prison only contrbu-
tons to the yellow-b back literature9 Do the men
who are branded as thieves and brutes really
exist to-day? Are they monstrosities? Are men
who will gamble on the weakness of helpless
men and women product of our glorious Amer
lean civilization What answer will the apostles
OF sweetness and light who preach only the
glory OF human nature give to this awful con-
fession that the Bible indictment of human
nature is trues The press photographs the world
every day, and every day the testimony is that
human nature nineteenth century human
nature, is fearfully corrupt. The facts and the
Bible agree. Out Of the thunders of Sinai God
speaks to man, not in poetry. not to instruct
him in the arts and sciences. The voice Of God
speaks and the finger of God writes thou shalt
not STEAL thou shalt not murder. Deceitful
above all things and desperately wicked. Muir
ders, drunkenness and such like these are the
works of the flesh. There is none that doeth
good It is not question of civilization it is
not a question of the ninth century
or the nineteenth century 1t is question of
human nature, and human nature left to itself.
Human nature is sick unto DEATH Its tendency
is hellward. Regeneration is an imperative ne
cessity to sin-cursed human nature. The trail
of the serpent is over US all Marvel not that
say unto You that We must be born again
These men who have robbed the State, who
abuse helpless men, deserve condemnation
and our pity. 1t is shame that such things
should be done. It is a burning shame-Eay it
is an objectionable sin-that it should be posi-
BILE that such things could occur. Whoever is
responsible for the partisan control that offers
the men the opportunities for corruption. and
that, for party honor, is pledged 20 conceal and
defend these things, must bear the blame.
There is one way, and one only, that politics
can be pure. To turn the rascals out and nut
ruin of the man and the disgrace of the public
service.
GAS a Republican or as Democrat, I could
earnestly wish that the question of spoils might
be forever removed from the arena of politics.
could wish that parties might 60 before the peo-
pie on the high ground Of principles. So long
as human nature is weak and the temptations of
offices are held out AS a reward for political
service, so long will bribery and corruption in
fest our politics. There is one radical perma
nent cure for the disgraceful management of our
State institutions. The appointments must be
taken out of the hands of the politicians, and
every act that is DONE every dollar that is
spent must be opened to the inspection of a
board that represents not party, but people.
Whoever stands in the way of this reform who
ever defeats it, invites the story to be repeated
again and shall be guilty of the deeds that will
be done again as surely AS the word OF God Is
true and our Master who needed not that any
should testify of man, for He knew what was in
| the heart of man. was wise when lie taught us
to pray: Lead US not into temptation but deliver
from evil The essence of true
civil service is found in the words
of the Psalmist. who could speak from
experience. The only safety for any human
heart is to recognize the omnipresence of an all
| wise God, who shall also be our judge. The
| public officer bears the same relation to the pub
| lie that soul does to its God And the essence
of the prayer, search me- 0 God. and know my
heart: try me and know my thoughts and see
| if there be any wicked way in me, is the one
imperative necessity of civil service. Let there
| be written over the doorway of every public
| office, Search us and know our hearts, and see
| if there be any wicked way in u.s. and we shall
| be spared the disgrace of stories such as we
have read within fortnight"
| An encore IN the church is an unusual thing
but last night, at the Fourth Church, Mr..
| Matheny, of Chicago, sang a song that SO capti-
waited and touched the hearts of the people tina,
| the audience could not be contented TO leave
| until he had sung it again. Mr.. Matheny has q
| splendid tenor voice. pure In tone. smooth II
| execution. and of wide range. He is the tenor
in Grace Episcopal Church, Chicago.
| Reducing Roberts Parks Debt.
Dr. j. H. Bayliss, editor of the Western
| Christian Advocate, preached at Roberts Park
| Church. At the morning service he preached
| from the first fouc verses Of the forty second
chapter of Isaiah. At the evening ser vice h,
| preached from the forty sixth Psalm
eleventh verse. He called to the minds of hi
old congregation that though their effort
| might for time prove fruitless yet the caus
| of God must succeed in the end. He congratu
lated the church on the great work it had &C
| complished in the past, and said that he expected
| bright and prosperous future for Roberts Park
| During the day the mem bership were asked FOL
subscription, to be applied upon the churc
debt 1t was heartily responded to, and $40, 90
were subscribed, leaving SIS, 900 more to be paid
It was a remarkably successful days work, an
indicates that the old enthusiasm or the churc
has been fully aroused.
Indianola Church To BE Improved.
It has been decided by the congregation tina
the Indianola Church shall be generally in
proved, aud committee. composed of Mrs